Grand slam efforts for Seguin ISD!

Seguin, TX, USA / Seguin Today
Darren Dunn

Voters say YES to SHS baseball/softball complex
(Seguin) — The Seguin ISD has hit a homerun with its idea for a new baseball/softball complex at Seguin High School. Voters on Saturday approved the district’s $7.8 million bond package. The bonds would allow the district to build its first baseball facility at the high school campus.

Its baseball games are currently played off-campus at Smokey Joe Williams Field, which is owned by the city of Seguin and located at the Guadalupe County Fairgrounds.

The bonds also call for a replacement of the existing softball field at the high school. District officials say both facilities were out-of-date and, in some cases, not safe for play. 

The baseball and softball complex will be built at the high school along College Street and they will share amenities, like restrooms and concessions. An identical issue failed during a bond election held in November, but voters offered overwhelming support this time around.

Seguin ISD Superintendent Matthew Gutierrez says they are thrilled that the community was now willing to support this much-needed project. Dr. Gutierrez says this is great news for the kids in both programs and for the community overall. 

“Our kids were devastated when it didn’t pass in November. There were kids saying, ‘Are we just not good enough? Do we not have support? Do we not matter?’ And our response was, ‘No, you do; we just have to do an even better job of educating and informing our community. We started having these conversations about the baseball/softball facilities back in 2018, and unfortunately, conversations came to a standstill once COVID hit. But we felt very strongly, and I felt very strongly about coming back out to our community to let them have a final say. When it did not pass in November, and I had told my team and the board that I wanted to come back out in May, the response was pretty much, ‘Are you crazy?’ I absolutely knew in my heart our community supports Seguin ISD. Our community supports our athletes, and they certainly showed that they are going to have the type of facilities that they need and deserve,” said Gutierrez.

Seguin ISD Athletic Director Craig Dailey says the recent rains demonstrated just how much the fields had deteriorated over the years. The fields were not suitable for play on multiple occasions, with several games being moved or postponed.

“I really don’t know the words to really express how I feel right now. All I know is I’m so thankful for the people of Seguin to invest in these kids. I’m so excited for the kids of Seguin,” said Dailey.

Dailey says this is a real win for the kids in the Seguin ISD. 

“It’s just going to give our kids so many resources and opportunities to better themselves and of course to grow our programs. Extra-curricular activities are just such a big deal for our kids to be successful in Seguin. This is going to give us another opportunity to get more kids involved in those programs,” said Dailey.

Although he realizes the issues with the supply chain and unexpected extreme weather patterns, Gutierrez says he is holding onto to optimism that the fields will be ready in 2024. He says this is also in large part thanks to the board, who first started talking about this project five years ago, and who had plans already drawn up for this now voter-approved facility.

“We are going to begin to be able to move dirt here pretty quickly and hopefully, have our students next year play in these facilities at least play a game or two but the ideal timeline would be for our kids to see these facilities come to light a year from now,” said Gutierrez.

The bond passed with 1,522 votes cast in favor of the bond, and 942 votes cast against it. The district already has its plans for the new baseball/softball complex, which they say should allow them to get started on these projects as soon as possible. 

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